Seminar

Aleksander Kubica, Assistant Professor at Yale University and former Research Scientist at AWS will give a career talk on his experiences in both industry and academia, present a short lecture on quantum chess, and take questions from the audience.  

A key objective in nuclear and high-energy physics is to describe nonequilibrium dynamics of matter, e.g., in the early universe and in particle colliders, starting from the Standard Model. Classical-computing methods, via the framework of lattice gauge theory, have experienced limited success in this mission. Quantum simulation of lattice gauge theories holds promise for overcoming computational limitations. Because of local constraints (Gauss's laws), lattice gauge theories have an intricate Hilbert-space structure.

In this Career Connections talk, Dr. Mihir Bhaskar (CEO and Co-Founder of Lightsynq) will share insights from his career journey: first building a science experiment in the lab as a PhD student, then moving to AWS to launch a new R&D initiative, and finally starting a quantum technology company to build a product. He will also talk about the integrated photonic capabilities his team has developed along the way, and how he thinks they can solve key bottlenecks in quantum information technology.

We introduce parallel-sequential (PS) circuits, a family of quantum circuits characterized by a tunable degree of entanglement and maximum correlation length, which interpolates between brickwall and sequential circuits. We provide evidence that on noisy devices, properly chosen PS circuits suppress error proliferation and exhibit superior trainability and evaluation accuracy when employed as variational circuits, thus outperforming brickwall, sequential, and log-depth circuits in [Malz*, Styliaris*, Wei*, Cirac, PRL 2024] across most parameter regimes.

Abstract: This talk will review our recent work on classical and quantum glasses. I will start with a discussion of spin glasses from the perspective of chaos theory.

Error-correction is key to building a quantum computer. This includes both storage of quantum information as well as computing on it. Quantum low- density parity check (LDPC) codes offer a route to build these devices with low space overhead. The next question is - how do we fault-tolerantly com- pute on these codes?  Existing proposals (Cohen et al. [2110.10794], Cross et al. [2407.18393]) rely on ancilla systems appended to the original LDPC code.

Characterizing higher-order interactions in quantum processes with unknown Hamiltonians presents a significant challenge. This challenge arises, in part, because two-body interactions can lead to an arbitrary evolution, and two-local gates are considered universal in quantum computing. However, recent research has demonstrated that when the unknown Hamiltonian follows a U(1) symmetry, like charge or number conservation, N-body interactions display a distinct and symmetry-protected feature called the N-body phase.

Dr. Dripto Debroy will share his journey to becoming a research scientist at Google Quantum AI and offer tips for breaking into the tech industry.

Following this, he will present a research talk on his latest work for those interested.

*We strongly encourage attendees to use their full name (and if possible, their UMD credentials) to join the zoom session.*

Quantum sensing extends the vast benefits of a quantum advantage to traditional metrology.  A common method of quantum sensing utilizes coherent, crystal defects in semi-conductors (such as nitrogen vacancy centers in diamond) to perform high-precision measurements on a variety of length scales.  Such measurements might span from vectorized magnetometry of macroscopic computer chips to nanoscale strain or temperature mapping in a target matrial.  In exploring new regimes for quantum sensing, we need to model and assess their viability through theoretical or simula

Join us for a virtual panel featuring four current postdocs as they share their experiences applying for, securing, and thriving in postdoctoral positions. Gain valuable insights into crafting compelling applications, navigating the interview process, and making the most of your postdoc experience. Whether you're preparing for a postdoc or simply exploring your options, this discussion will provide practical advice and answer your questions.